Apparatus for slotting cardboard and the like for the manufacture of boxes



Peb. s, 1955 T. D. BISHOP APPARATUS FOR SLOTTING CARDBOARD AND THE LIKE FOR THE MANUFACTURE 0F BoxEs A Filed April 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l 11 T lllllllll Tl l INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 8, 1955 T. D. BISHOP 2,701,613

APPARATUS FOR SLOTTING CARDBOARD AND THE LIKE: FOR THE MANUFACTURE oF BoxEs Filed April 2, 1952 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR T40/V576 QSMa/VD 5v5/fof? ATTORNEY United States Patent' lC) APPARATUS FR SLTTEG CARDBOARD AND THEgLlKE FUR THEMANUACTURE OF BOXES Thomas Desmond Bishop, Birmingham, England, as-

signor tol The Deritend'Engineering Company Limited, Birmingham, England, a Britishcompany Application April 2, 1952, Serial No. 279,996

Claims priorityr, application -Great Britain April 6, 1951 9 Claims. (Cl. 164-60) The present inventionhasrelation to apparatus for slotting cardboard andthe like for the manufacture of boxe s,-,in which connection it has been usual to crease a. cardboard. or like blank with parallel creases longitudinallyA and laterally in a creasing machine andito slot the blank adjacentfthe corners in a separate machine subsequently, the slotting taking place in alignment with the crease and-,presenting four corner flaps which are subsequently riveted or otherwise attached to adjacent side apsin the construction or manufacture of the box and the present yinvention relates particularly to a rotary slottingtmachine for this purpose.

Heretofore it has been usual for two radially disposed male knives to be adjustably bolted to a rotatable disc or. the like so thatthe male blades engage a circumferentialslot or slots forming a female blade or blades in a complementary rotatable disc, two or more of such units b eingarrangedin spaced relationship transversely relative.to thedirection of feed of the blank throughthe machine. It will be appreciated that when it is desired toadjust the machine to a different size of blank it may be, necessary to elfect'some or. all ofthe following adjustments:

(la) The angular radial adjustment of eachvv blade on the disc or the like relative to the other blade on the same disc or the like so as to predetermine the spacing between twok slots parallel to the direction of vtravelsofthe blank.

(b)I The adjustment of the feed mechanism relative to the, angular setting of the blades effected byy (a),

(c)v The adjustment laterally relative to the direction oj:" feed, of the blank ofthe units comprising the pairs of male andfemale knives so that the spacing of the slots transversely of the blank may be set.

With mechanism at present in use,`the aforesaid adjustments necessitate the expenditure of considerable time by a skilled mechanic and it is the objectv of' the present invention to provide an apparatus in which each olfA the, three above mentionedadjustments may be readily and accurately effected by remote control conveniently grouped at onel end of the machine without risk ofdamage tothe apparatus such as might obtain if a male knife was adjustedtransversely relative to the direction of feed of-v the blank inaccurately in relation to the associated female knife, or if amale knife was incorrectly adjusted angularly relative to the associated female knife.

Another object of the invention isto provide ,an improved cutting mechanism provided with a plurality of cutting elements positioned to rotate in the same plane, which elements maybe angularly shifted by simple con-- trolirneans to adjust their respective position with respect to eachother and withrespectto therotationaliposition of. the driving means.

Another. object is ,toprovide an improved multi-bladed cuttingk mechanism provided with novel mechanismy in the formof quick threadedgears and coacting threaded members positioned in the drivegearing of the., mechanism for adjusting the angular displacementy of the cut- ,ting elements relative to each other, and for adjusting therotationalposition of the cutting elements relative to therotational position of the driving means which serves lto adjust the timing of the feed mechanism control means.

The invention consists of apparatus for slotting cardb oard and the like for the manufacture of boxes whereinthere are provided avpair of rotatable radially disposed knives adapted to slot a blank of cardboard in spaced alignment characterized in that theV pair. of. knives arefeach carried by one of a pairof concentric and relatively-rotatable annuli which are driventhroughr gearing at `the same speed from a common source means being provided for adjusting the rotational angular` setting of the drive to one of said annulirelative tothe other whereby the angular radial setting of'one blade relative to the other may be adjusted.

A convenientembodiment of the present invention-will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 isa front elevation of the complete machine.

Fig. 2 is a section on` the line v2---2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a part-sectional plan of the, adjusting mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional front elevation of one ofthe slotting units.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line ,5-5 of Fig. 4 andy Fig. 6 isa perspective schematic view showing the gearing and shafting arrangement.

In the embodiment-illustrated there isshownarnaiu frame 6 within which are mounted two fixed longitudinally extending shafts 7 and 8v onV which arel slidably mounted sub-frames 9 and 10 for the slotting unitsldetails of: which will be given hereinafter. The frames 9 and-'10,haveengagement. witha screw spindleV 11 Vf urnished with aright and left hand thread whereby, when the ,spindle 1 1-is rotatedgby -ahandle121the frames.9,and 10 partake of equal: and opposite,` movementg towardsor away from one another. The drive to the mechanism isimpartedthrougha chainlwheel 13 mounted uponv a sleeve carrying a, Cam 14 which'lcontrels the, operation of feedmechanismof knownkindj for feedingthecardboard, blanks to themechanism. Also mounted ontlre saineA sleeve is. a pinion 15; which` through ai geert train generally designated 16. transmits the rotational. Inovement -toa pinionlfl on a spindle l8-which is diSPQSed behindlthe spindle 19- as,viewed in Figs. 1. Thepinion 17 has an .internal` quick; thready and. is 'mounted` uponan extension of thespindle V181A which is furnished with a quick thread 20, and since thepinion 17y ist prevented from axial movement relativeto rthe trarne 6'provided the spindle 1 8- is preventedfrom axialt movement, any rotational motion:impartedto-the.pinionll is imparted to the, spindle 18,.` Mounted onthe-spindle 18,andc,o,nnected thereto, bya keyway and. prevented fromjmoyement relativel to theframeis apinion ,21, which., meshes with a pinion.2,2,fr eely mountedabout the .shaft 17, which in turn meshesiwith a pinion 2,3on thespindle 19,.` This pinionA 23y has an internaly quick threadfwhich. engages an external quickthrCad24-.on the spindle19, sothat provided the spindlel-9 ispreventedfromaxial movement rotational,r motion of thepinion 23., which is prevented from axial movement relative to the, frame 6, is` parted tov thespindle 19.

On the spindlek 18l aretwopinions 25 andldgcarried by theifram'es 9, and ldrespectively which engage with keyways onithe spindle 18..s,0,.as to permitiof, the, sliding movement of thesepinions with the frames` 9 and) 10 whilst ensuring. thaty rotation 0f4 the Spindler 1 3. ,isirnpartedto thepinions.. Similarly, Qnthe spndlelfiars two pinionsk 27 `and 28 carried by the frames 9, and, 10 respectively which` engage, ar keyway ony the spindle 19 andv permit of theY axial slidingimovement4 of. these pinions relative to the Spindle 19 butensure that rotation` ofvv the spindle 19,is impartedto the saidpinions.

Eaclrof'v the` spindles 18 and 19v hasimeansfor. adjusting it longitudinally-in thel frame dwhichjis bestishown in Fig. 3. The endsof the .spindles land 19 remote from they pinion 17 are each formed with reduced. extensions` 18a and 19a about. which` ismounted an externally screw threaded sleeve 29 which engagesan'V internallyscrew threaded bossinthe frame G the sleeve 29 bcingvfurnished with a hand wheelV lwhereby the sleeve 2,9v can be rotatedto move theassociated spindle 18` or 19A axially within the frame 6v. A lock` nut.,3,2 ;is associated Witheachsleeve 29-to maintainthe associated spindle irrits position of adjustment.

Since the two slottingunits in the frames 9.and-,1llare exactly similar only one-,of-Athese unitswill b e described and` for this pur-pose reference isbest made toFigst 4 andi. Connectedv tothe frame 9,.aretwoleevesiand 34which slidingly engage the fixed shafts 7 and 8 respectively. Rotatably mounted about the sleeve 33 by means of anti-friction bearings is a sleeve 35 which carries at one end a pinion 36 which meshes with the pinion 25 on the spindle 18 and rotatably mounted about the sleeve 35 is another sleeve 37 carrying a pinion 33 which meshes with the pinion 27 on the spindle 19. The pinion 36 also meshes with a pinion 39 mounted upon a sleeve 40 rotatably mounted by means of anti-friction bearings about the sleeve 34 whilst the pinion 3S meshes with a pinion 41 connected to a sleeve 42 rotatably mounted about the sleeve 4t). The sleeve 35 carries what may be termed a male knife 43 whilst the sleeve 37 carries another male knife 44 and the sleeve 4l) carries a female knife 45 whilst the sleeve 42 carries a female knife 46. By the term female knife is meant a knife formed by two spaced plates between which the associated male knife is caused to enter during the rotation of the sleeves and it will be understood that since the sleeves 35 and 40 are positively geared together by means of the pinions 36 and 39 the knives 43 and 45 are always at the correct relative setting whilst the knives 44 and 46 are always at the same relative setting due to the interengagement of the pinions 38 and 41.

If it is desired to operate on a cardboard blank of different dimensions from the one for which the machine is set, it will be understood that it may be necessary to alter the setting of the knife 43 relative to the knife 44 and effect an exactly corresponding adjustment of the setting of the knife 45 relative to the knife 46 without disturbing the setting of the knife 43 relative to the knife 45 or the knife 44 relative to the knife 46. According7 to the present invention this can readily be accomplished and in the embodiment shown is effected in the following manner. The lock nut 32 on the sleeve 29 associated with the spindle 19, is first slackened whereupon the hand wheel 31 can be rotated so as to move the spindle 19 axially. This axial movement of the spindle 19 due to the quick thread 24 moving relative to the internal thread of pinion 23 will effect an angular adjustment of the pinion 23 relative to the spindle 19. Since the knives 43 and 45 are driven from the spindle 1S whilst the knives 44 and 46 are driven from the spindle 19, it will be appreciated that the axial movement of the spindle 19 will effect an angular setting of the knives 43 and 45 relative to the knives 44 and 46. This result is obtained since the inertia of the driving gear. i. e. chain wheel 13. pinion 15, gear train 16. pinion 17, shaft 18, pinions 21 and 22, tends to maintain pinion 23 from rotation while shaft 19 rotates due to the coaction of the quick threads. The adiusting movement of shaft 19 relative to pinion 23 serves to rotate pinion 27 which in turn rotates threadedly engaged members 37-42 relative to members 35-40. However if the size of the blank now to be used is different from that for which the machine was set it may also be necessary to adjust the setting of all the knives relative to the feed mechanism which is controlled by the cam 14. This adjustment can be effected by first slackening the lock nut 32 on the sleeve 29 associated with the spindle 18 and then rotating the associated hand wheel 31 so as to move the spindle 18 axially. Movement of the spindle 18 axially by virtue of the quick thread engagement between the said spindle and the pinion 17 will effect an angular adjustment of the pinion 17 relative to the spindle 18 and thereby effect an adjustment of the cam 14 relative to all the knives to adjust the timing of the feed mechanism to accord with the new size of blank to be fed.

To adjust the knives transversely relative to the path of travel of the blank it is only necessary to rotate the handle 12 which effects corresponding movement in opposite direction of the frames 9 and 10 which carry the two complete slotting units and this adjustment will have no effect upon the other adjustments or settings described.

I claim:

l. In apparatus for cutting cardboard or the like, comprising in combination, a first cutting blade supported on a first rotatable member, a second cutting blade supported on a second rotatable member, said first and second cutting blades positioned in the same plane and mounted to rotate about a common axis, a driving means, a gear train connecting said driving means and said first and second rotatable members, said gear train comprising a gear having a quick thread coacting `with a complementary thread supported on an axially movable shaft, which shaft is connected to drive one of said rotatable members, and means for axially moving said shaft relative to said threaded gear to effect angular rotational adjustment of said first and second cutting blades.

2. In apparatus for cutting cardboard or the like, the combination comprising, a first cutting blade supported on a first rotatable member, a second cutting blade supported on a second rotatable member, said first and second cutting blades positioned in the same plane and mounted to rotate about a common axis, a driving means, a gear train connecting said driving means and said first and second rotatable members, said gear train comprising a gear having a quick thread coacting with a complementary thread supported on an axially movable shaft, which shaft is connected to drive said first and second rotatable members, and means for axially moving said shaft relative to said threaded gear to effect angular rotatienal adjustment of said cutting blades with respect to the rotational position of said driving means.

3. in apparatus for cutting cardboard or the like, the combination comprising, a first cutting blade supported on a first rotatable member, a second cutting blade supported on a second rotatable member, said first and second cutting blades positioned in the same plane and mounted to rotate about a common axis, a driving means, a gear train connecting said driving means and said first and second rotatable members, said gear train comprising a first gear having a quick thread coacting with a complementary thread supported on a first axially mov-- able shaft, which shaft is connected to drive said first and second rotatable members, said gear train further comprising a second gear having a quick thread coacting with a complementary thread supported on a second axially movable shaft, which shaft is connected to drive one of said rotatable members, means for axially moving said first shaft relative to said first threaded gear to effect angular rotational adjustment of said cutting blades with respect to the rotational position of said driving means, and means for axially moving said second shaft relative to said second threaded gear to effect angular Lilwtational adjustment of said first and second cutting ades.

4. Apparatus for cutting cardboard or the like, comprising in combination, a rst pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon and a rotatable inner member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon, a second pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli cornprising a rotatable outer member in driving engagement with said outer member of the first pair Of'annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to said blade mounted on said outer member of the first pair of annuli and a second rotatable inner member in driving engagement with the inner member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to the blade mounted on said inner member of the first pair of annuli, said cutting blades mounted on the outer members of said first and second pairs of annuli constituting a first set of cutting blades and said cutting blades mounted on the inner members of said first and second pairs of annuli constituting a second set of cut.- ting blades, said first and second pairs of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli mounted in substantially parallel relation a spaced distance apart to effect cutting relation of the first and second sets of blades intermediate the pairs of annuli, driving means, a gear train connecting said driving means and said outer and inner members of said pairs of concentrically positioned annuli, and means positioned in said gear train for adjusting the relative angular displacement of both of said inner members with respect to both of said outer members, whereby the angular position of one set of cutting blades can be shifted with respect to said other set of cutting blades.

5. Apparatus for cutting cardboard or the like, comprising in combination, a first pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon and a rotatable inner member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon, a second pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member in driving engagement with said outer member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cuttingb'lade` mountedthereon complementary "to .saidl blade .mounted ontsaid :outer member- .of the :first rblades mounted on the outer-members of saidfirst and second. pairs ofNannuliy constituting-a. first set of cuttmg blades and said cutting bladesmounted on the inner members'` of said firstand second pairsof annuli constituting a second setA of` cutting blades, Asaid first and second pairs Iof concentrically positioned rotatable annuli -mountedin substantiallyparallel relation a lspaced distance -apart to effect cutting relatingof the first and second sets of blades: intermediate' therpalrsof annuli, driving means, a` gear train connecting said driving means and 4said kouterfand inner members of saidpairs of concentrically positioned annuli, said gear train comprising a gear having a quick thread coacting with a complementary thread supported on an axially movable shaft, which shaft is connected to drive one of the sets of cutting blades, and means for axially moving said shaft relative to said threaded gear to effect angular rotational adjustment of one set of cutting blades with respect to said other set of cutting blades.

6. In an apparatus for cutting cardboard or the like provided with a driving means and feed mechanism for the stock, the combination comprising, a first pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon and a rotatable inner member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon, a second pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member in driving engagement with said outer member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to said blade mounted on said outer member of the first pair of annuli and a second rotatable inner member in driving engagement with the inner member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to the blade mounted on said inner member of the first pair of annuli, said cutting blades mounted on the outer members of said first and second pairs of annuli constituting a first set of cutting blades and said cutting blades mounted on the inner members of said first and second pairs of annuli constituting a second set of cutting blades, said first and second pairs of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli mounted in substantially parallel relation a spaced distance apart to effect cutting relation of the first and second sets of blades intermediate the pair of annuli, a gear train connecting said driving means and said outer and inner members of said pairs of concentrically positioned annuli, said gear train comprising a gear having a quick thread coacting with a complementary thread on an axially movable shaft, which shaft is connected to drive both said inner and outer rotatable members of both pairs of concentrically positioned annuli, and means for axially moving said shaft relative to said threaded gear to effect angular rotational adjustment of both sets of cutting blades with respect to the rotational position of said driving means to adjust the timing of the feed mechanism.

7. In an apparatus for cutting cardboard or the like provided with a driving means and feed mechanism for the stock, the combination comprising, a first pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon and a rotatable inner member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon, a second pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member in driving engagement with said outer member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to said blade mounted on said outer member of the first pair of annuli and a second rotatable inner member in driving engagement with the inner member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to the blade mounted on said inner member of the first pair of annuli, said cutting blades mounted on the outer members of said first and second pairs of l @annuli constituting a first set of cutting blades and said vtiallyparallel yrelationa spaced 'distancef apart .toteiect cutting. relation of .the first `and secondv sets of bladesinktermediatethepair of Iannuli,xagear train connecting said. driving means-and said outer and inner lmembers of .said'pairsof lconcentrically positioned annuli, said; gear tra-in comprising: a first gear having a quick thread coacting with a complementarythread supported on .a first axially movable shaft,.which shaft is connected tofdrive .both saidtinner and outer rotatable `members of both pairs-ofl concentrically positioned annuli,-said gear train lfurther comprising a-.rsecondI gear having a quickv thread coacting with` a complementaryl thread supported on f a -second axially Ymovable 1 shaft, which shaft is vconnected :to A.drive oneoffthesetsoffcutting blades, means Vvfor vaxiallymoving vsaid,y secondtshafty relative tosaidf` second threaded gear to effect angular rotational adjustment of one set of cutting blades with respect to said other set of cutting blades, and means for axially moving said first shaft relative to said first threaded gear to effect angular rotational adjustment of both sets of cutting blades with respect to the rotational position of said driving means to adjust the timing of the feed mechanism.

8. In an apparatus for cutting cardboard or the like provided with a driving means and feed mechanism for the stock, the combination comprising, a frame, a pair of laterally movable slotting units supported on said frame, each of said slotting units comprising a first pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon and a rotatable inner member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon, a second pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member in driving engagement with said outer member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to said blade mounted on said outer member of the first pair of annuli and a second rotatable inner member in driving engagement with the inner member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to the blade mounted on said inner member of the first pair of annuli, said cutting blades mounted on the outer members of said first and second pairs of annuli constituting a first set of cutting blades and said cutting blades mounted on the inner members of said first and second pairs of annuli constituting a second set of cutting blades, said first and second pairs of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli of each slotting unit in substantially parallel relation a spaced distance apart to effect cutting relation of the first and second sets of blades intermediate the pair of annuli, a gear train connecting said driving means and said outer and inner members of said pairs of concentrically positioned annuli of each of said slotting units, and means for moving each of said slotting units laterally with respect to the direction of feed of the stock to adjust the distance between the sets of cutting blades of the slotting units.

9. In an apparatus for cutting cardboard or the like provided with a driving means and feed mechanism for the stock, the combination comprising, a frame, a pair of laterally movable slotting units supportedv on said frame, each of said slotting units comprising a first pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon and a rotatable inner member having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon, a second pair of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli comprising a rotatable outer member in driving engagement with said outer member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to said blade mounted on said outer member of the first pair of annuli and a second rotatable inner member in driving engagement with the inner member of the first pair of annuli having a radially disposed cutting blade mounted thereon complementary to the blade mounted on said inner member of the first pair of annuli, said cutting blades mounted on the outer members of said first and second pairs of annuli constituting a first set of cutting blades and said cutting blades mounted on the inner members of said 'ra'zoners first and second pairs of annuli constituting a second set of cutting blades, said first and second pairs of concentrically positioned rotatable annuli of said slotting units mounted in substantially parallel relation a spaced distance apart to effect cutting relation of the rst and second sets of blades intermediate the pair of annuli, a gear train connecting said driving means and said outer and inner members of said pairs of concentrically positioned annuli of each of said slotting units, said gear train comprising means for adjusting the relative angular displacement of both of said inner members With respect to both of said outer members of said slotting units to shift the angular position of the first sets of blades With respect to said second sets of blades, said gear train further comprising means for adjusting the relative angular position of both sets of cutting blades on each of said slotting units with respect to the rotational position of the driving means to adjust the timing of the feed mechanism, and

means for moving each of said slotting units laterally with 8 respect to the direction of feed of vthe stock to adjust the distance between the sets of cutting blades of the slotting unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 331,325 Plummer Dec. 1, 1885 1,129,481 Gores Feb. 23, 1915 1,462,138 Langston July 17, 1923 1,678,458 Biggert July 28, 1928 1,759,437 Chryst May 20, 1930 1,988,215 Peterson Jan. 15, 1935 2,116,391 Gochoel May 3, 1938 2,117,220 Sieg May 10, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,307 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1888 

